There is a function of displaying a list of character strings that are conversion candidates based on characters, when a user inputs the characters in a PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. The user may input the character string by selecting a conversion candidate from the list.
The convenience of this function significantly depends on the order in which the conversion candidates are displayed. For example, when a character string, which the user intends to input, is displayed at a high ranking, the user is able to select the conversion candidate corresponding to the character string by a few operations.
Accordingly, as a method of determining the order of displaying the conversion candidates, there is a method of displaying character strings that are frequently input at a high ranking, based on the past input history of the user. Furthermore, studies are made for determining the order of displaying the conversion candidates according to the frequency of outputting content data items, when displaying words included in the content data items used by the user as conversion candidates (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-271938